ISU Extension and Outreach wants to encourage young children to find opportunities in nature, and to that end, they’re offering an online class for child care providers called Early Connections to Nature & Science. The 90-minute class will emphasize children’s need for physical activity, explore nature’s benefits, and highlight free resources as well as additional learning opportunities for providers.

The class will be held on Wednesday, March 18th, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Providers may register at the Iowa Child Care Provider Training Registry, https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry/. Registration and payment is required by March 11th. Registrants only need an internet connection and speakers. The online class counts as face-to-face and is highly interactive.

Sandra McKinnon, human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, says “Research tells us that spending time in nature has many positive benefits. Children who have opportunities to play and learn in nature are more likely to handle challenges and problems more capably and act responsibly toward the earth and each other. They are more physically active and less likely to be obese.”

McKinnon says “Children can play anywhere and with anything, but the natural world is an especially inviting place for play. Children play to invent, explore and try different things. Open-ended play in natural settings or with natural objects enhances curiosity and triggers the imagination.”

The 8-a.m. Newscast w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Atlantic, Cass Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) and Cass County are collaborating to create a new website to serve the entire community. The site will serve existing and potential new residents and businesses. Quida Wymer, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said “We are excited to be a part of this professionally designed website incorporating all four major entities in Atlantic. Uniting together will create a more effective and successful website to attract people to Cass County. The project will also encourage and build stronger relationships between the Chamber, City, CADCO and County.”

Wymer says bringing all four organizations together will achieve a number of benefits for the entire Cass Community: increased search engine ranking for all four entities, information for the community on one user friendly site, strategic design will attract new entrepreneurs and young business leaders, as well as, become more efficient by eliminating duplicate information.

Five Q Communications a Cass County based digital marketing firm will be leading the website project. The initial stage of discovery will provide the organizations with an understanding of the end users, solid graphic design brief and a clear plan of execution. This discovery will provide insight into the user experience that must be created to accomplish the goals of each organization.

Wymer says the new skillfully designed website will be the first impression to our community. It will represent who we are: established yet progressive, offering endless opportunities. The website will communicate and promote all Cass County and the Atlantic Area has to offer to both its current residents and new visitors.

(Press Release)

Two people were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, here in Atlantic. The A-PD reports 34-year old Christopher Anstey, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, and, 23-year old Jacob Osbon, of Neola, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts and Theft in the 4th Degree (Shoplifting).

Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The 7:07-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

City officials in Atlantic are preparing for a disruption in traffic flow on Highway 6/7th Street, from Olive Street east, to just past the Burger King restaurant. Interim City Administrator John Lund said during Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, that he spoke with the officials from the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, about being proactive in trying to help businesses affected by the impending road closure.

The City has discussed the waiving sign permits for businesses affected by the changes.
Lund said it appears right now, that once the road is blocked, a potential detour route in town, might be 10th Street, but that remains to be seen.

The Iowa DOT has said heavy traffic would be detoured during construction using Iowa 83, Iowa 173, Interstate 80, and U.S. 71. Mayor Dave Jones said he’s heard the DOT would route truck traffic to Highway 92, but that would still leave area residents, especially farmers, scrambling to find a way into and out of town.

Work on the project – which is expected to take about two-months – will begin later this spring or early summer. In other business, Councilman Chris Jimerson updated the Council on the coming e-recycling program. A electronics recycling trailer will be placed near the Atlantic Depot/Chamber offices on May 9th from 8-am until 4-p.m. The City’s Community Promotion Commission has agreed to fund half the $6,000 cost of the trailer, with Cass County agreed to pay for the other half.

Authorities in Montgomery County are reporting three recent arrests. At around 10-p.m. Wednesday, deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27-year old Andre T. Mackins, of Omaha, following a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Highway 34. Mackins was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and released from the scene on a citation.

And, two women were arrested for Driving While Suspended. Red Oak Police arrested 27-year old Kaleena Nicole Dawn Sands, of Red Oak, at around 1:20 this (Thursday) morning. The woman was taken into custody near the intersection of Highways 34 and 48. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond. And, at around 10:40-p.m., Wednesday, 34-year old Peggy Sue Gurney, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 100 block of east Hammond Street in Red Oak. In addition to the DWS charge, Gurney was cited for having no SR-22 Insurance on file. Her bond was set at $1,000.

Red Oak Police also cited 45-year old Carol  Olivas, of Red Oak for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on the right Wednesday, following an accident that happened at 2nd and Valley Streets (an uncontrolled intersection), at around 3:40-p.m.  Officials say Olivas’ 1998 Plymouth van collided with a 2002 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 39-year old Markus Johnson, of Red Oak. The accident caused $4,300 damage altogether. No injuries were reported.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) – A jury has found a western Iowa man guilty of making a bomb threat on a government building and attempting to fight law enforcement officials while naked in his living room.
The Le Mars Daily Sentinel reports 37-year-old Jeremy Hebert of Akron was found guilty Wednesday of making a threat to use an explosive or incendiary device. He also was convicted of three counts of assaulting law enforcement officers.

Hebert was arrested in November, and authorities say he told them he would drop a bomb on the White House and kill George H.W. Bush, who hasn’t been president since 1993. He has been taken to Plymouth County jail where he awaits a sentence hearing that’s scheduled for March 27.

A computer-oriented scam is once again making the rounds in the KJAN listening area. Officials with the Audubon Police Department say they’ve recently received multiple reports about a computer repair scam. The victims receive a phone call from a person identifying themselves as a computer technician. The technician indicates that they are calling due to the victim having computer problems and tricks the victim into letting them remote access their personal computer.

The technician then advises the victim that they have multiple viruses and demands payment. If the victim refuses, the technician then changes passwords on the computer and locks out the victim until the amount is paid. This is a scam and is a reminder to everyone to never allow someone to remote access onto your computer unless you can CONFIRM it is a reputable company and you initiated the contact.

Contact your local law enforcement agency if you have become a victim of this scam.

There was angry debate yesterday (Wednesday) in the Iowa House Education Committee as Republicans and Democrats battle over how much state money to spend on K-through-12 schools next year. Republicans say the state cannot afford the four percent increase approved by Senate Democrats. Representative Greg Forristal, a Republican from Macedonia, suggests a salary freeze for teachers would free up more money for new textbooks and other school initiatives.

“The federal government is telling us that farmers will make 3 percent less in this coming year,” he says. “…Maybe this is the year that teachers could just accept last year’s salary.” Representative Sharon Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, is a retired school teacher and she accused Republicans of trying to “get rid of public education” in Iowa.

“Asking teachers to accept last year’s salaries I find quite interesting because there are places in our state budget that we haven’t even talked about cutting,” Steckman says. The Republican-led committee then voted, again, for increasing general state aid to public schools by one-and-a-quarter percent for the next academic year.

(Radio Iowa)